The Association Right to Die with Dignity (DMD) has presented this Thursday the study ‘Two years of the Euthanasia Law: much to improve’. In their presentation, the doctors Fernando Marin y fernando sanz have highlighted that between June 2021, the date on which the law entered into force, and December 2022, close to some 370 people resorted to euthanasia in Spain.
During its breakdown, the publication has pointed out three main difficulties when applying the legal text. The first of these has been the lack of collaboration from private entities. Marín has stated that there is a “lack of commitment from private healthcare”. Along these lines, he has also highlighted that he knows of cases in which private insurers have not responded to specific requests: “There have been people waiting for a solution for six months and he has not told them anything due to the disorganization of private healthcare.”
A second key point that the text makes is the mishandling of conscientious objection. In this sense, Marín has inferred that “conscientious objection should not be a problem. It is an exceptional request.” He has said of her that “it is being used as an element of propaganda against the law.” In addition, she affirms that all doctors “have the obligation to collect the first request” and in case they do not want to attend “they must pass it on to a colleague or their superior”.
The last key to focus on is the length of the terms. That is, the time it takes to respond to the request for euthanasia. In this regard, the auditors have stated that it is not reasonable that there are people who require several months to complete the process.
The publication also highlighted the euthanasia treatment that is carried out in other countries. And it is that 80% of patients in Canada, the Netherlands or Belgium resort to this process are terminally ill. For his part, in Spain they are less than half. In the specific case of the Netherlands, the researchers have indicated that 20 years ago a “social pact was started in which euthanasia was not penalized. And it is after that that a law was made.”